Students protest vs assault on civil liberties, media

STUDENTS and teachers walked out of their classes on Friday and held a teach-in upholding civil liberties at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City.

For the second time this month, the UP Diliman community voiced its opposition to what it called the continuing assault on protesters and media even after the lifting of Presidential Proclamation No. 1017, which placed the country under a state of national emergency in February.

Hundreds of students, professors and employees joined a 2.5-kilometer march around the Academic Oval, led by a group carrying a huge banner with the words “Oras Na [It’s time].”

“This 2.5 kilometer march is an important preparation for more marches to come. In the coming days and months, we may have to march from Diliman to Malacañang,” university professor and Inquirer columnist Randy David told the students.

“Any critic of the administration is labeled a rebel. If that is rebellion, then I’ll tell President [Gloria] Macapagal-Arroyo, ’Ma’am, this is a continuing rebellion,’” David said.

After the march, the group proceeded to the Palma Hall lobby where a teach-in was held discussing the current state of affairs.